of
Oak Hill, which was then represented as a new country, without previous
educational and good church privileges.

She had the earnest desire to follow these girls when they returned to
their home communities to see to what extent their christian training at
West Point would tend to elevate and ennoble their own lives and through
them the lives of others.

This is the desire of every friend of Christian education. It cannot be
given too great emphasis. Pupils that give assurance they will "make
good" find that there are friends somewhere, when their need is known,
ready to "help them to help themselves." It ought to be a source of
constant and life-long encouragement to every pupil, specially aided by
friends in any of our christian educational institutions, to know that
the personal interest of their teachers and friends follows them through
life to see and know, that they have profited by their youthful
christian training. They are expected to be teachers and leaders in
thought and action in their respective communities.

XVII

BUDS OF PROMISE

1884 to 1904.

FAVORED YOUTHFUL CHOCTAW FREEDMEN.

"And Hannah took Samuel to the Temple of the Lord and said to Eli,
the priest; I have lent him to the Lord as long as he liveth."

The object of this chapter is to note the names and careers of a number
of the young people that during the early days, were sent or encouraged
to attend other educational institutions. As early as 1884, two years
before Miss Hartford came to Oak Hill, Rev. Alexander Reid, of Atoka
took the lead in arranging for two young men to go to Biddle University,
Charlotte, North Carolina, and five young ladies to Scotia Seminary, at
Concord, North Carolina. Later the teachers at Oak Hill aided and
encouraged others to attend these and other christian institutions of
learning established elsewhere by our Freedmen's Board. The present is
an opportune time for noting the results, in the way of increased
happiness and added usefulness to these young people by one or more
years of special training in youth.

In 1884 Richard D. Colbert of the Beaver Dam church was sent to the
preparatory school at Biddle University and remained till June 1887.
After his return he taught school eleven years. He was then licensed by
the Presbytery, and has been preaching the gospel ever since that time.

In 1884 Henry Williams of Doaksville, (Fort Towson) was sent to Biddle
University and remained th